Mark Leeson Hair, Body and Mind, Mansﬁeld, Notts.

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The reception is one of the most important areas of the salon and the receptionist has one of the most important roles. A good receptionist will help the salon to run smoothly and efficiently, making the most of their time in order to maximise the profits of the salon. This unit covers the important skills of welcoming clients and visitors,

dealing with enquiries, making customers’ appointments and handling payments. Over the course of this unit, your communication skills will develop so that you can deal with different people, including those who appear to be angry, confused and those who are making a complaint.

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144 Level 2 NVQ/SVQ Hairdressing

Unit G4 (City & Guilds Unit 019)Fulfil salon reception dutiesOptional

This unit has four outcomes.Outcome 1Maintain the reception areaOutcome 2Attend to clients and enquiriesOutcome 3Make appointments for salon servicesOutcome 4Handle payments from clients

Evidence requirementsYou must practically demonstrate in your work situation that you have met the standards for fulfilling salon reception duties. The standards cover things that you must do (performance criteria), things that you must cover (range) and things that you must know.

What you must doYour assessor will observe you on at least three occasions, covering all four main outcomes of this unit. You must do correctly all the things listed under ‘What you must do’ on the sign-off sheets that follow.

Evidence from simulated activities may be used to produce performance evidence, but only when naturally occurring performance evidence cannot be obtained for the following methods of payment – cash equivalents, cheque and payment cards – and for all the types of payment discrepancy. This is because you may not come across all the different methods of payment or all the different discrepancies and you may need to show in some other way that you would know what to do if these situations did occur. Your assessor will advise you on how to collect your evidence through simulated activities, if you need to do this. It is likely most evidence of your performance will be gathered from the observations made by your assessor but you may be required to produce other evidence to support your performance if your assessor has not been present.

“The receptionist is usually the first member of staff that a client sees as they enter the salon and the last as they leave, so they have a vital role in making clients feel good about their visit to the salon.Maurice Lister

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145Salon reception

What you must coverYou will see key words in bold on the ‘What you must do’ list. For each of these, there is a range of things that you must cover. You must show that you have:

What you must know You will be assessed on your knowledge of the following:

Salon and legal requirements

Communication

Salon services, products and pricing

Calculating and taking payments

Making appointments This will be completed through written and oral questioning by your assessor, or by an online GOLA test. For details of what you must know, see pages 154–156.

Useful wordsSome terms that you will come across in this unit are explained below.

Fraudulent card A card that has been stolen or is a fake.

Hospitality This covers welcoming the client, offering refreshments and magazines, and making sure the client is comfortable.

Invalid card A card that has expired or has been refused due to lack of funds in the client’s bank account or because the client has exceeded their credit limit.

Payment discrepancies When there is a problem with a payment. Reasons for this may be an invalid credit/debit card or if you suspect that the card is fraudulent.

Payment dispute When the client disagrees with what they are being asked to pay.

Handled two of the following types of enquiries:

in person

by telephone

electronically

Handled all the methods of payment:

cash

cash equivalents

cheque

payment cards

Handled three of the following types of people:

those who have different needs and expectations

those who appear angry

those who may be confused

those who have a complaint

Handled both types of appointments:

in person

by telephone

Obtained all the following appointment details:

client’s name

client’s contact details

service required

estimated price

date

time

member(s) of staff booked for service

Dealt with all the following types of discrepancies:

invalid currency

invalid card

incorrect completion of cheque

suspected fraudulent use of payment card

payment disputes

Hints and tips

Avoid asking, ‘Have you got an appointment?’, as this can sound blunt and cold. Instead, for a new client say, ‘Welcome to the salon, how may I help you?’, or for an existing client say, ‘Hello Mrs X, it’s lovely to see you again’.

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Observation sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must do

Within your work, you must show your assessor that you can do the following. You will be observed a number of times (as a guide, at least three times).

Each time you achieve all the points listed below within a single client service, your assessor will tick the circle and enter the date.

Outcome 1Maintain the reception areaa Ensure the reception area is clean and tidy

at all times

b Maintain the agreed levels of reception stationery

c Ensure that product displays have the right levels of stock at all times

d Offer clients hospitality to meet your salon’s client care policies

“Customer care begins the moment a client enters the salon. Each salon visit begins at the reception.Ruth Langley

”Each telephone call is an opportun

ity

to build your salon’s business.

Observation 1 2 3AchievedDateCandidate signature

Assessor signature

IV signature (if sampled)

Continues on next page

147Salon reception

Outcome 2Attend to clients and enquiriesa Attend to people promptly and in a

polite manner

b Correctly identify the purpose of enquiries

c Confirm appointments and promptly inform the relevant person

d Promptly refer enquiries which cannot be dealt with to the relevant person at the right time *e Record messages correctly and pass them to the relevant person at the right time

f Give accurate information clearly

g Give confidential information only to authorised people **h Balance the need to give attention to individuals whilst ensuring others are not left without attention

“Smile as you dial! Your voice is the only tool you have when on the phone.Ruth Langley

”

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Assessor signature


* Covered by observation Date

Covered by oral questioning Date

** Covered by observation Date




Observation sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must do (continued)

Outcome 3Make appointments for salon services a Deal with all requests for appointments

politely and promptly

b Accurately identify client requirements for the service requested

c Schedule appointments in a way that satisfies the client and the stylist, and ensures the most productive use of salon time

d Confirm that the appointment details are acceptable to the client

e Record appointment details accurately, clearly and to meet your salon’s requirements

Hints and tips

Only try to deal with enquiries that need technical knowledge if you have enough experience in that technical process.

Staff holidays should be entered in

the appointment book as soon as

they’re confirmed.

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Assessor signature



149Salon reception

Always state clearly the total amount of the service to your client before taking payment.

Hints and tips

The telephone is the pulse of the business. Reception duties are the heart of the business. Both coordinate the entire salon and are essential for its smooth running.

Outcome 4Handle payments from clientsa Accurately total charges to the client

b Inform clients of charges clearly and in a courteous manner

c Visually inspect purchases for condition and quality as they are processed for payment *d Establish the client’s method of payment and acknowledge receipt of payments

e Ensure accepted payments are correct

f Record information about the sale accurately, clearly and to meet your salon’s requirements

g Gain authorisation for accepting non-cash payments when the value exceeds the limit you are able to accept **h Tactfully inform clients when authorisation cannot be obtained for non-cash payment ***i Identify and resolve, where possible, any discrepancies in payments within the limits of your own authority ****j Promptly refer payment discrepancies which you cannot resolve to the relevant person for action *****



Observation sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must do (continued)

k Give the correct change and issue receipts when required by clients

l Follow cash point security procedures at all times

m Identify and report low levels of change in time to avoid shortages


Assessor signature


* Covered by observation Date


** Covered by observation Date


*** Covered by observation Date


**** Covered by observation Date


***** Covered by observation Date


151Salon reception

Observation sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must cover

Before ticking the circles below, you must make sure that you have achieved ‘What you must cover’ in all the outcomes in which it occurs.

People Tick the types of clients that you have dealt with during your observations. Three of the four types of people must be dealt with, and you must prove to your assessor that you know how you would deal with the fourth.

1 2 3People who have different needs and expectations

People who appear angryPeople who may be confusedPeople who have a complaint

Enquiries Tick the types of enquiries that you have dealt with during your observations. Two of the three types of enquiries must be dealt with, and you must prove to your assessor that you know how you would deal with the third.

1 2 3In personBy telephoneElectronically

Appointments Tick the types of appointments that you have handled during your observations. Both types of appointments must be handled.

1 2 3In personBy telephone



Observation sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must cover (continued)

Appointment details Tick the appointment details that you have obtained during your observations. All appointment details must be obtained.

1 2 3Client’s nameClient’s contact detailsService requiredEstimated priceDateTimeMember(s) of staff booked for service

Methods of payment Tick the methods of payment that you have handled during your observations. All methods of payment must be handled. Simulated activities are allowed.

1 2 3Cash Cash equivalentsChequePayment cards

Discrepancies Tick the types of discrepancies that you have dealt with during your observations. All types of discrepancies must be dealt with. Simulated activities are allowed.

1 2 3Invalid currency Invalid cardIncorrect completion of chequeSuspected fraudulent use of payment cardPayment disputes


Assessor signature


153Salon reception

Comment formUnit G4

This form can be used to record oral questioning, or for assessor/candidate comments, if required.

Comments Date1

2

3

“First impressions count and will always count.Ruth Langley

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You need to understand: Evidence type

Salon and legal requirements

1 your salon’s procedures for:– maintaining confidentiality– taking messages– making and recording appointments– dealing with suspected fraud– authorising non-cash payments when these

are ‘over limit’– client care at reception– personal safety

E3

2 the limits of your authority when:– maintaining the reception area– attending to people and enquiries– making appointments– dealing with payments and discrepancies

E3

3 the consequences of breaking confidentiality E3

4 who to refer to with different types of enquiries

E3

5 the person in your salon to whom you should refer reception problems

E3

6 relevant rights, duties and responsibilities relating to the Sale of Goods and Services Act and the Data Protection Act

E3

Communication

7 the importance of taking messages and passing them on to the right person at the right time

E3

8 the importance of effective communication to the salon’s business

E3

9 how and when to ask questions E3


Knowledge sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must know

You will be assessed on your knowledge and understanding of all the following points. This will be completed by your assessor, either by asking you questions within a conversation, or with a written test (evidence type E3). This could be an online GOLA test. Your assessor will let you know how s/he intends to assess you.

Once you have been assessed on each point, you can fill in the date and reference any written evidence that you’ve put in your portfolio.

155Salon reception


10 how to balance giving the correct amount of attention to individual clients whilst maintaining a responsibility towards other clients in busy trading periods

E3

11 how to say things that suit the purpose of your discussion

E3

12 how to speak clearly in a way that suits the situation

E3

13 how to show you are listening closely to what people are saying to you

E3

14 how to adapt what you say to suit different situations (ie the amount you say, your manner and tone of voice)

E3

Salon services, products and pricing

15 the services available, their duration and cost E3

16 the products available for sale and their cost E3

17 what to look for to identify any defects in products as they are being processed for sale (eg damage, loose packaging, cracked and/or leaking containers, etc)

E3

18 how to identify any current discounts and special offers (eg 2-for-1 offers, coupons, etc)

E3

19 what and how much stationery should be kept at your reception area

E3


“As a hairdresser, you are always ‘on stage’.Ruth Langley

”



Calculating and taking payments

20 common methods of calculating payments including point of sale technology and physical calculations

E3

21 how to keep cash and other payments safe and secure

E3

22 the types of payment that you are authorised to accept

E3

23 how to gain electronic authorisation for payment cards

E3

24 how to identify suspected counterfeit payments

E3

25 how to identify suspected stolen cheques, credit cards and payment cards

E3

26 how to deal with customers offering suspect tender or suspect non-cash payments

E3

27 consequences of failure to handle payments correctly

E3

Making appointments

28 the importance of making appointments correctly

E3

29 the common systems available for making appointments within the hairdressing industry (eg manual and electronic)

E3

Tick if E3 was a GOLA test Date

Tick if E3 was a written test Date

Knowledge sign-off sheetUnit G4 Fulfil salon reception dutiesWhat you must know (continued)

157Salon reception

Your assessor may use this space for any additional comments they may have about your work.

Comments Date

Unit sign-offThis section must be signed when the unit is complete.

We confirm that this evidence is authentic and the assessments were conducted under specified conditions and that all the performance criteria, range and essential knowledge requirements have been met for this unit.

Candidate signature Date

Assessor signature Date

IV signature (if sampled) Date

Supplementary notesUnit G4

Mark Leeson Hair, Body and Mind, Mansﬁeld, Notts.

Documents